Combined microphone stand and amplifier



June 2, 1 936. SHARPNACK 2,042,738

COMBINED MICROPHONE STAND AND AMPLIFIER Filed Dec. 5, 1935 gvwc/wm George SharpnacK Gum/MA;

Patented June 2 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED MICROPHONE STAND AND ALIPLIFIER This invention relates to microphones and supports therefor, and has for an important object thereof the provision of a support which will permit greater ease in the use of the microphone.

' Another object of this invention is to provide a combined amplifier cabinet and microphone stand which will permit the person speaking into the microphone or otherwise broadcasting to directly control the output.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a compact unit including an amplifier and microphone which is so constructed and arranged as to give a greater distance between the input of the amplifier and the output and power unit, thus greatly reducing the inductive field which normally emanates from the output end of the amplifier and which causes an undesirable amount of hum to be picked up at the inputside of the amplifier. The combining of the amplifier unit and the microphone and stand therefor will 'permit greater ease in handling, controlling and setting up the equipment by reason of the fact that two otherwise cumbersome units are combined into' one unit, and the controlling is done by the person standing before the microphone.

The microphone switch 29 is particularly new and useful because it not only turns the microphone oif and on, but doesit bydisconnectlng the plate circuit to the entire amplifier, thereby removing all voltage strain from the entire am-* plifier when it is notin actual use. a Y

With the foregoing and other objects lnvie the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto. 9.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a microphone and support therefor constructed according to anembodiment of this'invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially through the center of the stand and showing the arrangement of the parts comprising the amplifying unit.

Figure.3 is a topplan of the support with the microphone removed therefrom.

' Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 44 of Figure 2. v

Referring to the drawing wherein like symbols designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral HI designates generally a support or cabinet which comprises a base ll of hollow construction and a. standard l2 which at its lower end is secured to the base .II

as by threads l3 or the like. The interior of the base I I forms a chamber I in which one or more portions of an amplifying unit may be placed in this chamber. The side wall of the base ll may also have one or more sockets l5 which are in connection with the amplifying unit so that the stand and the parts enclosed thereby may be connected by means of extension wires to the loud speakers.

The standard or housing I2 is constructed substantially cylindrical in form, although the configuration of this housing l2 may be varied to suit the needs or desires of the manufacturer and user. The housing I2 is provided with a plurality of windows l6 through which the tubes contained in the cabinet may be viewed and so that these tubes may be suitably ventilated or cooled.

The parts comprising the amplifying unit and the circuit or circuits therefor are conventional, and are here shown as an illustration of the manner in which such parts may be arranged, the connections between the several parts being eliminated, as neither the parts nor the circuit or circuits in which the parts are interposed form a part of this invention. I

A plurality of shelves or partitions H are disposed within the housing l2 in vertically spaced apart relation, and each shelf or partition I I is adapted to support one or more of the parts comprising the amplifying unit. The shelves or partitions I! are held in spaced apart relation by means of sleeves l8 which loosely engage about rods I9 extending throughout the length of the cabinet or housing l2.- These rods l9 extend through a top panel 20, having a head 2| above the top 20, and also extend through a bottom plate 22. Suitable nuts or other securing means may engage the lower ends of the rods l9 so as to hold the shelves or partitions together as a unit. The entire assembly of shelves or partitions may be removably secured within the cabinet or housing l2 by providing a shoulder 23 at the top of the cabinet or housing l2 and extending bolts 24 through the housing into recesses provided in the peripheral portion of the top panel 20.

The top 20 of the cabinet constitutes the instrument panel, and may have a pair of controls and knobs 25 and 26 mounted thereon. A lamp 21 is mounted on the panel 20 in a suitable socket pro-- vided therefor, and this lamp may be of a suitable identifying color, such as red, so as to serve as a signal to the person or persons about to start broadcasting that the amplifier is turned .on. A second lamp 28 may also be mounted on the panel 20, and this lamp 28 may be of a con- 2 trasting color with respect to the lamp 21, such as green, and when this lamp, 28 is lighted it serves as a signal to the person or persons about to broadcast that the'microphone is connected.

A plate voltage controlling switch 29 is mounted on the panel so that when the person using the equipment is ready, he may easily putthe amplifier and microphone into use by moving the switch 29 to closed position, and thus place the microphone in circuit with the loud speakers to which the amplifying unit is connected. The filaments to the tubes mounted in the cabinet II) are turned on by means of a snap switch 30 which in the present instance is mounted on the projecting portion of the base I I. By placing the heater switch 30 on the base II, the tubes incorporated in the amplifying unit may be maintained in a heated condition so that the device is ready for instant use, and in the event the operator becomes confused the current will not be turned off accidentally, and it will not be necessary to wait for the tubes to become heated before the unit is operative.

A socket 3| is carried by the panel 20 in which one end of a flexible tube 32 is adaptedvtobe threaded or otherwise secured, and this tube 32 is preferably of the type which may be bent and which-will retain its bent form. The tube 32 has a microphone '33 secured to the upper end thereof and the wires for the microphone are adapted to extend down through the tube 32. Any suitable form of terminals or contacts may be used to detachably connect the wires leading to the microphone with the input side of the amplifying unit contained in the cabinet l0.

During the assembly of. this combined microphone and amplifying unit,the parts may be mounted on the shelves I! which are held in spaced apart relation by means of the sleeves l8, and the entire shelf unit is held in assembled condition by means of the rods l9. With the shelf unit removed from the cabinet III the various parts of the amplifying 'unit may beconveniently connected together, and the tube shelves are preferably so arranged that the tubes on such shelves will be exposed through the windows l6 of the housing l2. After the parts of the amplifying unit are properly connected in the proper circuits the entire assembly may be slipped into the housing l2, with the top panel resting on the shoulder 23. The screws 24 may then be tightened or other suitable means provided to tightly hold the shelf unit within the cabinet. The base ll may have a removable panel in a wall thereof to permit proper connection of theoutput end of the amplifying unit with the socket l5 or with any part of the amplifying unit which may be disposed in the base chamber ll.

Assuming that a person is to speak into the microphone, the heater switch 30 is initially turned on a sufflcient time before using so as to permit the heater portions of the tubes to attain the proper temperature. Just prior to the time that ,the outfit is to be used the operator will close the snap switch in the base which will light the red lamp 21 and turn the filaments of the tubes on. At the moment a person desires to speak or play into the microphone, the plate controlling switch 29 is closed, and at that instant the microphone is in circuit and the broadcasting may begin.

By reason of the compactness of this cabinet and support, and by reason of the arrangement of the parts comprising the amplifying unit,

there will be 'a minimum of stray inductive fields causing hum or distortiomand, the entire device may be stored in a relatively small space with the goose-neck support for the microphone secured to a suitable case which may be secured to the side of the housing I2. I

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1, A cabinet and microphone support comprising a base, a hollow standard extending upwardly of the base, a shelf unit within the standard and including a plurality of spaced apart shelves secured together, a top panel carried by the shelf unit, a microphone, and adjustablemeans connecting the microphone with the panel.

2. A cabinet and microphone support comprising a base, a hollow standard extending upwardly of the base, a plurality of'vertically spaced apart shelves disposed in the standard, means for securing the shelves together, means for removably suspending the shelves as a unit within the standard, a microphone, and means for securing the microphone to the upper portion of the shelves.

3. A cabinet and microphone support comprising a hollow base, a hollow standard, means for detachably securing the standard to the base, a plurality of spaced apart shelves, means for securing the shelves together as a unit, means for suspending the shelf unit within the standard, a microphone, and flexible means for securing the microphone to the shelf unit.

\ 4. A cabinet and microphone support comprising ahollow base, an elongated hollow standard, means for detachably securing the standard to the base, said standard having. a' plurality of" windows through a wall thereof,'a plurality of spaced apart shelves, means for securing the shelves together as a unit, certain of said shelves being disposed adjacent said windows, means for removably securing the shelf unit within the standard, a microphone, and means for securin the microphone to the shelf unit.

'5; A cabinet and microphone support comprising a hollow. base, an elongated hollow standard, means for detachablysecuring the standard to the base, said standard having a plurality of windows through a wall thereof ,a plurality of spaced apart shelves, means for securing the shelves together as a unit, certain of said shelves being disposed'adjacent said windows, an instrument panel carried bythe upper portion of said shelf unit. a microphone, and adjustable connecting means connecting the microphone with the instrument' panel.

6. A cabinet and microphone support comprising a hollow base, a hollow cylindrical standard secured to and extending upwardly of the base, said standard having a plurality of windows through a wall thereof, a plurality of spaced apart shelves, means for securing the shelves together as a unit, certain of said shelves being disposed adjacent said windows, an instrument panel carried by the upper portion of said shelf unit, a microphone, and flexible connecting means connecting the microphone with the instrument panel;

7. -A cabinet and microphone support comprising a base, a hollow cylindrical standard secured panel carried by the upper portion of said shelf unit, means for removably securing the shelf unit within the standard, a microphone, and means for detachably securing the microphone to the GEORGE SHARPNACK.

, shelf unit. 

